History
Bridging Chasms – Harold Harker
It was in summertime when all good things are supposed to happen. With the birds singing and the flowers blooming, it is usually a time for rejoicing. This day was June 22 to be precise. Summertime had arrived, though in Scotland those who lived further south felt it was never summertime there. The year was 1679 and the day marked a tragic defeat for
committed Christians in that country.places. This was seen as a milestone in Scottish history. The Covenant was an agreement—a contract—between the Scottish nation and God. It was signed by Scottish lords, by ministers of the church and by thousands of ordinary
Scots. It was religious as well as political.
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John Huss – Harold Harker
Preacher and theologian John Huss was born about 1373 in Husinec, in the south of today’s
Czech Republic. He early suffered the loss of his father, but gained a formal education. Then his Christian mother took him to Prague to continue at university. Pausing on a hill outside of Prague, she prayed God would protect him, and dedicated him to His service.
At university, Huss earned his keep by singing. He developed into an able debater and graduated with a Master of Arts in 1395. He was strongly influenced by the writings of John of Canterbury and John Wycliffe (the English Reformer and Bible translator). The Queen of Bohemia (a sister to King Wenceslas) had married Richard II of England. This exchange brought the teachings of Wycliffe to Bohemia.
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Reformation’s Forgotten Father – Harold Harker
Often forgotten or obscured in Reformation history is a man who towers above his luminaries and heroes. He is Thomas Bilney, also known as the father of the English Reformation.
Life for Thomas Bilney began somewhere near Norwich, around 1495. Because of his diminutive stature, early on he became known as “Little Bilney.” He was a shy and gentle young man. Bilney attended Cambridge University as a resident of Trinity Hall, where he was a student of civil and canon law.
He was ordained to the priesthood in 1519 at the age of 24, just two years after Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Castle church in Wittenberg, Germany. Like Luther, Bilney tried hard to find peace of mind. He fasted often, maintained long vigils,
went to many masses and purchased indulgences. He also consulted with priests for help but peace eluded him.
Betrayed by Night – Harold Harker
Back in the 1300s, Boston, on the east coast of England in Lincolnshire, had been a port rivalling London in size and trade. It was there in 1607 that a small group of brave people from Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire counties assembled secretly one dark night to embark on an illegal venture. As many do today, they were leaving their country without permission.
Their plan would eventually take them to Boston in New England. Waiting for them in the shadows was a small ship. Its captain had agreed to take the group from England to the
Netherlands, where they hoped to start a new life with freedom to believe and worship as they chose. During the previous few days, small boats had inconspicuously ferried the fleeing families to the ship, in which all their precious hopes were invested.
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